Job summary
Band 6: Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Schools
We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to join our large well-established school's team.
This post offers a great opportunity to join our highly skilled multi-disciplinary therapy team working in mainstream primary and secondary schools. You will work closely with school staff to support children and young people with a range of speech, language and communication needs in schools as well as contributing to team training initiatives and other innovative project work.
The department offers:
- Easy access to specialists in all clinical areas
- Designated admin and planning time
- Defined caseloads
- Involvement in innovative project work
Main duties of the job
This post is within the schools Speech and Language Therapy team. The post holder will be an autonomous practitioner providing a specialist speech and language therapy service to a designated caseload of children and young people (CYP) with a range of speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) attending mainstream primary and secondary schools. This will include CYP with severe language disorders and complex communication difficulties. A significant proportion of these children will have English as an additional language (EAL). He/she will be expected to manage their own caseload, travelling between schools and working alongside teaching staff to ensure specialist therapy programmes and education plans are in place for the children under their care. He/she will be expected to work collaboratively with children/young people (CYP), parents/ carers and with colleagues in Health, Education and Social Services.
The post holder will contribute to departmental meetings, clinical audit/research and projects. They will provide advice and deliver training to other, professionals and parents/carers on all aspects of speech, language and communication. He/she will provide clinical education and training to Speech and Language therapy students and will supervise the work of SLTAs and LSAs.
About us
You will be joining a supportive and sociable team of over 60 Paediatric Therapists offering access to specialists in all clinical areas, excellent support systems with personal appraisal, objectives and training plans designed to meet your specific needs/CPD requirements. Flexible working hours are available.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To communicate complex patient related information effectively to ensure collaborative working with multidisciplinary team members across health, education and social services and the voluntary sector. In particular to work with teaching staff to ensure the delivery of a well-coordinated care/ individual education plan which facilitates the development of speech, language and communication skills.
- To work collaboratively with the school staff in designated schools to support access to and differentiation of the Foundation Stage and National Curriculum for children/young people (CYP) with SLCN and SEN
- To share information with others, observing confidentiality and data protection guidelines and having due regard for local guidance on sharing information with colleagues in education, social services and voluntary sector.
- To communicate complex condition related information (both verbally and in the written form) from assessment to CYP, Parents/carers, and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions. This includes child specific information as well as training packages to parents, teachers and other professionals around the management of speech, language, communication and eating /drinking difficulties.
- To have due regard for the cultural and linguistic differences of children/families concerned
- To work closely with CYP, carers and families, involving them in decision making regarding intervention approaches demonstrating and ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist (i.e. hearing loss, communication difficulties, English as an additional language and learning difficulties).
- To employ excellent communication skills such as persuasion, motivation and explanations to encourage/reassure clients and carers to undertake treatment programmes.
- To demonstrate negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To communicate complex patient related information effectively to ensure collaborative working with multidisciplinary team members across health, education and social services and the voluntary sector. In particular to work with teaching staff to ensure the delivery of a well-coordinated care/ individual education plan which facilitates the development of speech, language and communication skills.
- To work collaboratively with the school staff in designated schools to support access to and differentiation of the Foundation Stage and National Curriculum for children/young people (CYP) with SLCN and SEN
- To share information with others, observing confidentiality and data protection guidelines and having due regard for local guidance on sharing information with colleagues in education, social services and voluntary sector.
- To communicate complex condition related information (both verbally and in the written form) from assessment to CYP, Parents/carers, and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions. This includes child specific information as well as training packages to parents, teachers and other professionals around the management of speech, language, communication and eating /drinking difficulties.
- To have due regard for the cultural and linguistic differences of children/families concerned
- To work closely with CYP, carers and families, involving them in decision making regarding intervention approaches demonstrating and ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist (i.e. hearing loss, communication difficulties, English as an additional language and learning difficulties).
- To employ excellent communication skills such as persuasion, motivation and explanations to encourage/reassure clients and carers to undertake treatment programmes.
- To demonstrate negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification Health Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Health Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice
- Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
Desirable
- oLevel 1 training in dysphagia
- oPost graduate short courses in the provision of SLT to school -age children
Experience at undergraduate/post graduate level of:
Essential
- Working with Children and young people in school settings
- Assessment treatment and management of children with speech, language and communication difficulties in schools.
- Working with parents and carers.
- Working within an education environment
- Writing clinical notes and reports
- Managing own caseload
- Teaching other professionals / parents
Desirable
- Clinical audit
- Working with students
- Working with children with eating and drinking difficulties
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Assessment tools relevant to the CYP with speech language and communication, eating and drinking difficulties.
- Range of appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to the above client group.
- The role of the speech and language therapist in the Education system.
- Roles of other professionals in Health Education and Social Care involved with CYP.
- Standards of record keeping and reporting.
- Good written and spoken English
- Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills
- Ability to communicate effectively with children and young people of all ages and abilities.
Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
Essential
- Demonstrates ability to be a team player
- Good organisational skills
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification Health Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Health Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice
- Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
Desirable
- oLevel 1 training in dysphagia
- oPost graduate short courses in the provision of SLT to school -age children
Experience at undergraduate/post graduate level of:
Essential
- Working with Children and young people in school settings
- Assessment treatment and management of children with speech, language and communication difficulties in schools.
- Working with parents and carers.
- Working within an education environment
- Writing clinical notes and reports
- Managing own caseload
- Teaching other professionals / parents
Desirable
- Clinical audit
- Working with students
- Working with children with eating and drinking difficulties
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Assessment tools relevant to the CYP with speech language and communication, eating and drinking difficulties.
- Range of appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to the above client group.
- The role of the speech and language therapist in the Education system.
- Roles of other professionals in Health Education and Social Care involved with CYP.
- Standards of record keeping and reporting.
- Good written and spoken English
- Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills
- Ability to communicate effectively with children and young people of all ages and abilities.
Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
Essential
- Demonstrates ability to be a team player
- Good organisational skills
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
